In the United States today is President’s Day, which for many means a day off from work and for school children in some parts of the country, the beginning of a one-week vacation break. But, of course, it is about celebrating the days of birth of the USA’s former Presidents, especially of George Washington.

But there are others we can celebrate too. For example, today is the 71st birthday of Brad Steiger, the famous author of many books on the unexplained. Brad was born Eugene Olson in Fort Dodge, Iowa, on February 19, 1936.

Brad began his early adult life as a creative writing professor in Iowa. The stories I first heard about Brad, who has been a friend of mine for decades now, was of this mild-mannered professor who would run upstairs to his near-attic-like office, and pound out books at an incredible rate to support his family.

Brad’s life continued along a path that would merge his writing with a pen-name that became his own (he has officially changed his name). He found the time and space to allow himself the freedom to leave his former restrained framework behind him, and he shares his life today with his beloved Sherry.

Brad has written books since 1965, and his total output is at 162 books, until his next one appears.

Some of Brad Steiger’s books clearly show that his beginning interests overlapped with where the assignments in publishing wanted him to go, through some Hollywood connections. For example, his book Valentino (first edition, 1966) served as the basis for the 1977 motion picture, Valentino, directed by Ken Russell and starring Rudolf Nureyev, Michelle Phillips, and Leslie Caron. Steiger’s book, Unknown Powers (New York: Berkley, 1981) was adapted into the documentary scripted by Don Como, Richard Cory, and Steiger. The nonfiction movie won the Film Advisory Board’s Award of Excellence for 1979. The film featured Jack Palance as narrator with Will Geer, Roscoe Lee Browne, and Samantha Eggar.

His books also demonstrate his ability to dive into other subjects deeply. The Johnny Cash Story (New York: Lancer Books) and The Country Music Scrapbook (New York: Lancer Books) were both published in 1970.

Here’s a partial list of books that Steiger has authored or co-authored of special or near interest to most of us here:

Monsters, Maidens, and Mayhem: A Pictorial History of Hollywood Film Monsters. Chicago: Merit Books, 1965.

Mysteries of Time and Space. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1974.

The Strange World of Brad Steiger (Collection of newspaper columns of the same name). New York: Kensington/Zebra, 1975.

Monsters Among Us. Rockport, MA: Para Research, 1982. New York: Berkley, 1989. Lakeville, MN: Galde Press, 2006. This is Brad’s most comprehensive cryptozoological book. His chapter on Momo is unique. His contributions added new details on the sightings of this now famous 1972 Missouri “Eastern Bigfoot” or “Marked Hominid.”

February 20th is T. Peter Park‘s birthday, and happy birthday wishes to him too, for his special day. Park is a frequent critical thinker and author on a variety of subjects, especially recently regarding little people, Homo floresiensis, and the folklore links to these topics via emails, online forums, and articles in The Anomalist and Fate Magazine. Park is recognized as a Fortean authority on H.P. Lovecraft, according to the Horror Library’s Chris Perridas, as noted during the introduction to a February 2006 interview.

About Loren ColemanLoren Coleman is one of the world’s leading cryptozoologists, some say “the” leading. Certainly, he is acknowledged as the current living American researcher and writer who has most popularized cryptozoology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Starting his fieldwork and investigations in 1960, after traveling and trekking extensively in pursuit of cryptozoological mysteries, Coleman began writing to share his experiences in 1969. An honorary member of Ivan T. Sanderson’s Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained in the 1970s, Coleman has been bestowed with similar honorary memberships of the North Idaho College Cryptozoology Club in 1983, and in subsequent years, that of the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club, CryptoSafari International, and other international organizations. He was also a Life Member and Benefactor of the International Society of Cryptozoology (now-defunct).
Loren Coleman’s daily blog, as a member of the Cryptomundo Team, served as an ongoing avenue of communication for the ever-growing body of cryptozoo news from 2005 through 2013.

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2 Responses to “Happy Birthdays!”

Brad Steiger’s library of work is tremendous and essential reading especially in the realms of Forteana and the paranormal. I’ve read and collected much of his work. T. Peter Park’s work is wonderful as well. A hearty Happy Birthday to the both of them!